Democratic Capitalist Delegation
The 'Democratic Capitalist Delegation ', or DCD, was founded by James Lott in January of 2554 and is based out of the state of Migadon in the Republic of Telamon. The DCD promotes prosperity through free market economics and a free people to interact with such a market. The DCD also believes that for a free market to function at optimal efficiency, government regulation is necessary to a limited degree. Foundation James Lott was born on the 21st of January, 2528 in the city of Kirimati, Sevescia. His family soon after moved to Parah, Migadon where Chairman Lott would come of age. He graduated from the University of Telapolis in May 2553 with a masters degree in political science. At the age of 25, Chairman Lott was among the youngest graduates ever to earn such an honor. Throughout his collegiate years, he had gradually grown dissatisfied with the political parties in power and the stranglehold they were implementing on freedom. Immediately following his graduation, Chairman Lott became politically active and began gathering support for a capitalist movement. Eight months later, the DCD was born just in time for Telamon's new age of liberalism. Party Ideology Official Platform I) We believe in the strength, resiliency, and prosperous potential of a free market economy. II) We believe that in order for the free market to function as intended by its founding fathers, central government regulation and protection of the consumer is necessary. Although we favor government regulation, we do not favor government monopolization of non-essential industries. III) We believe that it is the inherent responsibility of a central government to ensure the safety and health of its people. IV) We believe that the best way to protect Telamonian citizens against international threats is to build friendly international relations. V) We believe that the government most responsive and most in touch with the people is that which is closest to the people. Therefore, all issues not concerning the central government should be left to state governments. Issue Prioritization The DCD breaks all issues down into three categories: Primary Issues - All issues which concern the economy or economic efficiency are considered primary issues. These are the issues which the party was founded to deal with, and the DCD typically favors limited regulation on primary issues. Secondary Issues - All issues which concern foreign affairs are considered secondary issues. Although the party is not largely concerned with secondary issues, it recognizes that inherently, all central governments must deal with them. The DCD generally favors internationalism in matters of foreign affairs. Tertiary Issues - All issues which do not concern economic well-being or foreign affairs are considered tertiary issues. The DCD tends to favor complete devolution of tertiary issues. Internal Affairs Party Chairman Daunte Woodson was selected as the successor to party founder James Lott due to a party policy which Lott himself instituted. The method in which Lott essentially selected Woodson to be the next party Chairman displeased many high standing officials who felt the young Vice Chairman had not paid his dues, as well as earning him the unaffectionate nickname "The Appointed Chairman." The fact that Woodson inherited the party at only 31 years of age instantly put him at odds with older and much more experienced party heads. His radical new politics called for a complete overhaul of the party's stance on secondary and tertiary issues, most notably the adoption of tertiary issue devolution. These substantial changes further created displeasure among veteran officials, who were soon threatening the creation of a splinter party. However, Woodson through a skillful manipulation of his disgruntled colleagues, was able to hold the party together until early elections were called in September 2587. Woodson's new party politics and clever campaign schemes won the party the highest percentage of seats it had ever held, surpassing a record set 29 years prior. Following the '87 elections, the party rallied around Woodson with a unity reminiscent of Lott's pinnacle. However, Woodson was only successful in reforming the party due to the fact that he was allowed to by his top two officals, Justin Griffith and Kirk Morrison. He received a sobering reminder of their exceptional power in 2593 when his opposition to the controversial Anti-Paramilitary Act was silenced by Morrison, whose fierce public support of the bill forced Woodson to agree publicly or else have his popularity undermined. Woodson's changes to the party however, were not limited to policy making. The brazen young successor to Lott has proven to be much less hesitant to create controversy with his word choices and criticisms, to the point where he has even been described as arrogant at times. Any arrogance Woodson has displayed however, is not without reason. In 2599, Woodson further lifted the party to new heights by claiming a co-victory in the parliamentary elections. Although the party had held majority status from 2588 - 2591, it had in reality been as a result of the electoral victor resigning from Parliament. The '99 elections, being the first time were a landmark for the DCD, as they were the first time the party was elected to the majority. Before ascending to Chairman, Woodson became the DCD's first ever Vice Chairman in 2580 only four years after joining the party. Party Factions Idealists - Technically not a faction, "Idealists" is the term given to the party majority who fully endorses and stands behind the current chairman and his agenda. Deregulators - The deregulators are a group of party members who adhere to traditional party ideals and favor deregulation of tertiary issues. The adoption of a tertiary devolution policy when Daunte Woodson assumed the position of chairman did not sit well with the deregulators, who were the torch carriers of former Chairman Lott's politics, and still in the majority at the time of Woodson's ascension. The fact that Woodson did not have majority support behind his new policies threatened to tear the party apart for the first year of his tenure. However, after the 2587 elections yielded the strongest electoral performance in the history of the DCD, deregulators abandoned the old party ideology in flocks in favor of supporting Woodson. This essentially switched the roles of devolutionists and deregulators, leaving the deregulators as the party's largest minority and the devolutionists as its idealists. In 2591, the deregulators finally received authorization from Chairman Woodson to form an official party chapter. Religious Democrats - The religious democrats are, aside from the deregulators, the only party sanctioned faction in the DCD. Their official chapter, the "Democratic Capitalist Theologians Chapter," is composed of market and social liberals who also hold devout religious beliefs. The religious democrats have become a large and influential faction by virtue of the fact that the DCD is the least secular of Telamon's liberal parties. They typically accept the fact that the party is disestablishmentarian, and rarely attempt to pull it to the right. Instead, the chapter cites the purpose of its formation as insuring that the party does not support infringements on religious freedom. Free Market Militants - The free market militant faction is a handful of aggressive party members who agree with DCD market ideology, but believe the party should take an aggressive foreign affairs stance. These members advocate the invasion and conquering of nearby countries (especially those which do not trade with Telamon) so the country can access more resources and support a larger economy. The free market militants have long advocated for the formation of a party militia, but their efforts have been kept silent as party leadership has always been rigidly opposed to such measures. However, in 2589 the leaking of The Howard File seemed to suggest they may have been gaining influence. Ecological Deregulators - The ecological deregulators are a faction that often opposes the official party stance on ecological issues, which typically airs on the side of environmentalism. DCD party leaders often argue that it is a concern of public health, but ecological deregulators disagree. This small group believes that environmental regulations are an unnecessary invasion of the private sector. Current Party Heads Justin Griffith Justin Griffith has been the Officer of Internal Affairs for the DCD since its inception in 2554. When Chairman Woodson took power in 2586, Griffith performed some of his best work to date. Working vigorously alongside the new Chairman, despite a disagreeance with his policies, Griffith was able to help hold the party together and prevent grievances from going public. Kirk Morrison's retirement in 2602 brought about speculation that Griffith, who was 68 at the time, may not be far behind. Griffith however, has publicly denied such claims. Griffith, now the only remaining party head who has been with the party since its inception, has become the single most influential member of the DCD. Although Chairman Woodson is officially the top authority within the party, most top officials acknowledge that Griffith currently holds a great deal more power. However, Griffith's history of low-profile service seems to suggest that unlike his more rambunctious colleague, Kirk Morrison, he would be unlikely to exercise that power. Kaitlen Edwards Kaitlen Edwards joined the DCD in 2570 as a young woman. She started as an assistant in the Internal Affairs office under Justin Griffith before being appointed as a delegate to Parliament in 2572. After a distinguished term in Parliament, she took up work in the Internal Affairs office once again, except as a personal assistant to Griffith. When the office of Public Affairs was opened in 2579, Edwards was brought in to act as a seasoned adviser to the young Daunte Woodson. After Woodson's promotion hardly a year later, Edwards was the obvious choice to replace him as Public Affairs Officer. Edwards was widely renowned and recognized within the party for her stellar work, and with the retirement of Kirk Morrison, the stage was set for her to become a leading official within the party. In November of 2602, the DCD gained control of the Prime Ministry for the first time. Chairman Woodson declined the post and instead deferred it to his top official, Justin Griffith. The move was more symbolic than anything, as it was well known Griffith would not accept a high-profile post. Griffith, in turn, deferred the post to his longtime assistant Kaitlen Edwards, cementing her status as a Class I party official. Edwards was offered the position again in 2608 which turned out to be a 10 year term at the position. Richard Gannon Richard Gannon is the presiding officer over the Tertiary Devolution Chapter. He was appointed to the position by Chairman Lott when the devolutionist faction was sanctioned as an official party chapter in 2560. Gannon is a moderate devolutionist who has been with the party since its inception. His combination of political savvy, loyalty to the party, and popularity among devolutionaries made him the logical choice to run the chapter. When Chairman Daunte Woodson introduced tertiary devolution as an official party policy in 2586, Gannon's status and power within the party skyrocketed, putting him on the level of established party heads such as Kirk Morrison and Justin Griffith. Nigel Wellington When Michael Huff retired from the ranks of the DCD in 2595, the Democratic Capitalist Theologians Chapter was left without a lead official. Although the authority of selecting a replacement technically laid with Chairman Woodson, Woodson was unwilling to involve himself in the affairs of the religious democrats. Instead, members of the DCTC were allowed to elect their own presiding officer. Nigel Wellington, an outspoken assistant of Huff and loyal party idealist won a close race, gaining 54% of the vote in the second round. Where as Huff was often regarded as a maverick figure within the DCD, leading his chapter to the edge of dissidence, Wellington is a more moderate figure. His re-integration of the DCTC into the general party makes him a far more popular figure among current party heads than his predecessor ever was. Fiona White After a major party shift in ideology led by Chairman Daunte Woodson, the DCD left behind the ideology of tertiary issue deregulation. With the deregulators suddenly in the minority, they began pushing for the formation of an official chapter. Under the impression that this would compromise his authority, Chairman Woodson attempted to sweep the issue under the rug. However, the traditionalist deregulators continued to vigilantly push party leaders to allow the creation of the chapter. Four years after the effort began, the deregulators were finally able to force Woodson into authorizing the creation of an official deregulation faction, which was christened the Democratic Capitalists for Freedom Chapter. Fiona White, the niece of Kirk Morrison, was appointed as the presiding officer over the DCFC. A loyal party veteran and longtime assistant to her uncle in the Foreign Affairs office, White's promise as an asset to party leadership made her an undisputed choice to assume the new chapter. In 2618, the DCD was once again offered the Telamonian Foreign Affairs Ministry. White, who had spent many years working in the office of her nationally acclaimed uncle, was the obvious candidate to fill the position. Former Chairpersons James Lott James Lott set every significant precedent by which the party operates today. The wildly popular founder excelled in keeping the party's five factions working cohesively as well as in working with opposition parties when it meant accomplishing DCD objectives. Lott was also a respected politician outside of the party who spent his years working closely with the Radical Party and the Telamon Minarchist Party (originally the Telamon Anarcho-Capitalist Party) in order to battle conservative oppression. Although those parties comprised Telamon's liberal coalition for most of Lott's career, the coalition which originally shattered the conservative reign included the DCD, the Radical Party, and the Libertarian Socialist Demonstration (a party which soon after committed political suicide). Lott is remembered in the history books, alongside Kristian Donson and Matt Hogan, as one of the "big three" to topple conservatism in Telamon. Lott retired relatively early, departing from the Telamonian political scene at only 58 years old. According to him, his mission had been thoroughly accomplished, warranting his retirement. His party colleagues tend to overwhelmingly agree, but his greatest failure is often regarded as being unable to ever win a Parliamentary election for the DCD. In March of 2610, at the age of 82, Lott was murdered in Telapolis after giving a speech which called for the end of violence during the Islamo-Christian War of the period. His assassin is still at large to this day. Historical Party Heads Ted Kennedy Ted Kennedy was one of James Lott's key supporters in the formation of the party. What Chairman Lott lacked in experience at the time if the party's inception, he made up for with the vast amount of it that Kennedy brought to the table. Chairman Lott commonly regarded Kennedy as a mentor in public comments, but insiders often suggest that Kennedy's fading career relied equally on the success of Lott and his new political party. He served an 11 year term as the Foreign Affairs Minister of Telamon before finally retiring in 2569. Michael Huff Michael Huff served as the presiding officer over the Democratic Capitalist Theologians Chapter. Following the formation of the Tertiary Devolution Chapter in 2560, religious party members began to demand their own chapter. The religious liberals formed a significant enough minority that they could have damaged the DCD by forming a splinter party. Unwilling to risk the split, James Lott authorized the initiation of a religious democrats chapter eight months after the sanctioning of the devolutionist chapter. The leader of the movement, Michael Huff, seemed to be the sensible choice to preside over the chapter, given that he was a devoutly religious and charismatic veteran of politics. However, Huff's combination of experience and cunning soon became points of concern for party leaders. Huff did not prove as easy to manipulate as his counterpart, Richard Gannon. His willingness to openly stand against party idealists earned him constant attention from the Office of Internal Affairs over the course of his career, which frequently reprimanded him for what office head Justin Griffith referred to as "public imprudence." Huff never ascended above the status of a class II official, but his status as the leader of the DCTC always kept him in influential standing among DCD party heads. After a 41 year career with the DCD, Huff retired in 2595. Kirk Morrison Kirk Morrison replaced former foreign affairs minister Ted Kennedy when the DCD reclaimed the Foreign Affairs ministry in 2572. In anticipation of Kennedy's Retirement, the DCD forfeited the Foreign Affair ministry to the Rightful Radical Party in 2569. In need of a replacement, James Lott, who was Chairman at the time, began sweeping the party ranks for an ambitious and articulate diplomat. Minister Morrison, who served as a DCD delegate in Parliament for 6 terms, turned out to be the ideal fit. While Lott was often described as a compromiser, Minister Morrison proved throughout his career to be far more firm in the face of opposition. Morrison had an accomplished career as Foreign Affairs Minister, doing much to improve relations for Telamon abroad. His greatest success in the eyes of many party members was the drafting and ratification of the Telamon/Endralon Norther Alliance Agreement. The lengthy document, which touched on many points concerning trade and travel, faced dedicated opposition from the Conservative National Coalition, which never fell below 1/3rd share in Parliament. However, when the conservative coalition faced the threat of breakup, Morrison jumped on the opportunity to seize the needed support from the Rightful Radical Party. When the RRP agreed to support the agreement, Morrison's 10 year fight to ratify the document finally came to a victorious end. Morrison's most notable domestic contribution to Telamon was his emphatic support for the Anti-Paramilitary Bill, spearheaded by Radical Party Internal Affairs Minister Jan Rubenstein. In the process, many believe that Morrison strong-armed Chairman Woodson off of plans to form a DCD party militia, and perhaps altered the course of party history. In October of 2602, the DCD's concession of Morrison's Ministry to the RRP was explained when Morrison announced that he would not seek another term as Telamon's Minister of Foreign Affairs, and would instead retire from politics. Vojislav Krkljus said in Parliament one day: "He is the man that persuades me to go more left than usual." Category:Political parties in Telamon